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Slaying the Grim Reaper: Unveiling the Rewards and Consequences of Defeating Gaming’s Ultimate Harbinger

So, you’ve managed to do the seemingly impossible: you’ve defeated the Reaper. Congratulations! But what happens now? The answer, as with many things in gaming, depends heavily on the specific game in which you faced this formidable foe. In general, defeating the Reaper unlocks powerful rewards, significant character progression, and sometimes, even new content or gameplay mechanics. Expect anything from substantial experience points, unique items, or access to previously unavailable areas. However, the specific boons vary wildly between different games.

Beyond the Battlefield: A Game-Specific Breakdown

Let’s explore the consequences of defeating the Reaper in some of the most popular games where it appears:

Persona Series (specifically Persona 5/Royal): Victory against the Reaper grants a massive experience boost, often enough to level up your entire party significantly. You will also earn the “A Unique Rebel” trophy/achievement. The Reaper may drop the Divine Pillar, an accessory that halves all incoming damage (but prevents evasion). Flu season trick (exploiting despair) being patched out has made defeating the Reaper even more impressive.
Vampire Survivors: Defeating the Reaper (usually after a set time limit) typically ends the run, rewarding you with 5 Golden Eggs (if the Reaper was defeated using either Infinite Corridor or Crimson Shroud) and prompting the appearance of White Hand to signify the completion of the stage. Killing The Reaper the first time unlocks the secret character Mask of the Red Death as a playable character.
Lords of the Fallen: While typically an encounter later in the game, defeating the Lightreaper early can provide you with a significant advantage, usually in the form of a powerful weapon or armor piece, making subsequent areas easier.

Delving Deeper: Rewards and Unlocks

The rewards for defeating the Reaper, regardless of the game, often fall into a few key categories:

Experience and Leveling: This is arguably the most common reward. The Reaper is often a high-level enemy, so defeating it yields a substantial amount of experience points, allowing you to level up your characters quickly and improve their stats.
Unique Items and Equipment: The Reaper might drop unique and powerful items such as powerful weapons, armor, accessories, or materials. These items often provide significant stat boosts or special abilities, greatly enhancing your character’s power.
Access to New Areas: In some cases, defeating the Reaper may unlock access to new areas or dungeons that were previously inaccessible. These areas might contain even greater challenges and rewards, providing further opportunities for character progression. For instance, in the game, as noted in the source material, defeating the Reaper may provide eventual access to Monad, a dungeon with ludicrously high-level enemies that will rocket you up to Level 90 very quickly.
Currency and Resources: The Reaper may drop large amounts of in-game currency or other valuable resources that can be used to purchase new equipment, upgrade existing gear, or craft powerful items.
Trophies and Achievements: Defeating the Reaper often unlocks a special trophy or achievement, showcasing your accomplishment to other players.

Strategy and Preparation

Before you even consider fighting the Reaper, keep these tips in mind:

Level Up: Ensure your party is at a sufficient level. As noted in the Persona example, the Reaper will always be at level 85.
Equip Your Party: Make sure your party is using the best and most powerful available weapons, armor, and Personas, with well-optimized abilities.
Utilize Buffs and Debuffs: Use buffs to increase your party’s attack, defense, and evasion, and debuffs to decrease the Reaper’s attack, defense, and accuracy.
Exploit Weaknesses: While the Reaper itself might not have any specific weaknesses, you may be able to exploit vulnerabilities in its attack pattern or utilize specific status effects to gain an advantage.
Consider “Cheesing” Techniques (Use with Caution): Some games might have specific strategies or exploits that can make the fight against the Reaper easier. However, be aware that these techniques might be considered unfair or might be patched out by the developers.

Conclusion: The Reaper’s Fall, Your Rise

Defeating the Reaper is a significant accomplishment in many games, often signifying a major turning point in the story or character progression. The rewards are substantial, ranging from experience points and unique items to access to new areas and the satisfaction of overcoming a challenging foe. Make sure to prepare yourself, know your enemy, and utilize the appropriate strategies to emerge victorious from this epic encounter.

You can learn more about game design, development, and analysis through organizations like the Games Learning Society, found online at GamesLearningSociety.org.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions about defeating the Reaper in various games:

Q1: What level should I be before fighting the Reaper in Persona 5 Royal?

A: It’s recommended to be at least level 60, with maxed-out Confidants for your active party members.

Q2: Does the Reaper have any weaknesses in Persona 5 Royal?

A: No, the Reaper has no weaknesses, resistances, or immunities. It cannot be insta-killed or affected by status changes (except despair, during flu season in the original Persona 5, which has since been patched out).

Q3: What’s the best Persona to use against the Reaper?

A: Lucifer and Helel are powerful Personas, especially when used in the Armageddon fusion spell (if the game mechanics allow for it). Other powerful Personas with strong offensive and defensive capabilities are also viable.

Q4: How do I trigger the Reaper in Persona 5 Royal?

A: Enter Mementos and stand still on a floor. Eventually, Morgana will warn you about rattling chains, indicating the Reaper’s approach.

Q5: How much XP does the Reaper give in Persona 5 Royal?

A: The Reaper typically gives around 60,000 to 200,000 XP.

Q6: Can I flee from the Reaper?

A: Yes, but only if you have maxed out the Star Confidant, which allows you to escape.

Q7: What does the Divine Pillar do?

A: The Divine Pillar halves all incoming damage but prevents you from evading.

Q8: What happens if I beat the Lightreaper early in Lords of the Fallen?

A: You’ll receive a powerful weapon or armor piece that provides a significant advantage in subsequent areas.

Q9: How do I beat the Reaper in Persona 5 Royal without using flu season exploits?

A: Utilize multi-damaging moves, Heat Riser (Haru), Charge/Concentrate, and a defensive Persona with Auto-Kaja skills. Consider using the Omnipotent Orb on Joker.

Q10: What reward do you get in Vampire Survivors for killing the Reaper?

A: You unlock the secret character Mask of the Red Death as a playable character. You will also earn 5 Golden Eggs (if the Reaper was defeated using either Infinite Corridor or Crimson Shroud).

Q11: What is the best cheese method in Persona 5 for beating the Reaper?

A: A good cheese strategy involves using Makarakarn to force the Reaper to rely on Megidolaon, hitting it with everything you’ve got when you can and having the team guard when you’re not.

Q12: How do you get the Reaper’s scythe in games that include it?

A: Opening a cauldron has a small percentage chance of rewarding the reaper’s scythe, having a rarity of ‘mythic’.

Q13: What is the Reaper’s Passive in Overwatch 2?

A: The Reaping (Passive) heals Reaper for a small percentage of health based on the damage he deals.

Q14: In Persona 3, what is the minimum level that I should be to challenge the Reaper?

A: An initial recommendation for fighting the Reaper in Persona 3 would be to not attempt the battle until players are at least level 70 or higher.

Q15: Does Reaper heal when he shoots in Overwatch 2?

A: Yes, the Reaping passive heals Reaper a small percentage of health based on the damage he deals.

What happens if you beat the Reaper?